Musical instrument water valve

ABSTRACT

A simplified two-part needle-type valve for use in lieu of the spring-biased lever-type water key now on all brass wind instruments such as, for example, trumpets, cornets, trombones, alto and baritone horns and the like. Both parts can be manufactured on automatic screw machines. The exteriorly recessed ported body can be soft-soldered to the instrument slide or tubing in communication with the customary water (saliva) eliminating orifice. To operate, merely turn the finger-grip and either open or close the conical valve at will.

United States Patent I Richardson 51 May 2, 1972 [54] MUSICAL INSTRUMENT WATER VALVE [72] inventor: Jesse L. Richardson, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

[73] Assigneez' Federal Operating Co.

[22] Filed: May 22, 1969 [211 Appl. No.: 826,830

[52] US. Cl ..84/397 [51] Int. Cl. ..Gl0d7/l0 [58] Field ofSearch ..84/387,397;25l/145,146

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 414,464 11/1889 Webb ..2l5/145 X 582,507 5/1897 Marchaut et al..; ..25l/145 X Viol ..84/397 Morris ..251/145 Primary ExaminerRichard B. Wilkinson Assistant Examiner-John F. Gonzales Attorney-Eugene F. Malin [5 7] ABSTRACT A simplified two-part needle-type valve for use in lieu of the spring-biased lever-type water key now on all brass wind instruments such as, for example, trumpets, comets, trombones, alto and baritone horns and the like. Both parts can be manufactured on automatic screw machines. The exteriorly recessed ported body can be soft-soldered to the instrument slide or tubing in communication with the customary water (saliva) eliminating orifice. To operate, merely turn the finger-grip and either open or close the conical valve at will.

8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures Pmmd May 2, 1912 Fig.2

Jesse L. Richardson liN'V/ENTOK.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT WATER VALVE This invention relates to a musical instrument water releasing valve which is expressly designed and adapted to replace the manually trippable lever-type water key which is currently being used on most brass wind instruments, for instance, trumpets, comets, trombones, alto horns, baritone horns, tubas and the like, and pertains, more particularly, to a significantly simplified two-part valve. 7

The self-evident purpose of the valve shown is to enable manufacturers of brass musical instruments to abandon the commonly used multi-part water key and to replace it with a feasibly simplified herein disclosed two-part needle-type valve.

Water keys such as are presently in use on the tubing, often on the slide, are comparatively complicated and embody from four to six component parts including a pivotally mounted spring-biased lever-type key with a cork or pad serving as the valving element. An object of the valve herein comprehended is to provide an adaptation which, being of the utmost in simplicity, is made up of a cylindrical sleeve-like body with a seat and a complemental precision-made needle-type valve element.

Briefly, the improved valve is characterized by a relatively small but elongated cylindrical sleeve or barrel. This sleeve is preferably made of brass. The axial bore in the sleeve is open at its respective ends. One open end of the bore provides a discharge port. The proximal part of the bore just inwardly of the port itself is fashioned into and provides a confined conical valve seat. The other end of the bore is internally screwthreaded. The median portion of the bore constitutes a water trapping and accumulating chamber. The intermediate or median portion of the sleeve is provided not only with an inlet orifice registering with the chamber but is exteriorly provided with a concave recess which can be soft-soldered to the instrument tubing for coaction with the usual discharge orifice in the tubing. A manually turnable and reciprocable valve element embodies a stem-like shank which has one end portion operatively screwed into the adjacent screw-threaded end of the bore and provided exteriorly with a disk-like or equivalent milled head which provides a finger-grip. The other end of the shank is provided with a conical needle-pointed tip which normally abuts the valve seat and closes the discharge port.

It is significant to note that the cross-sectional dimension of the chamber portion of the bore is amply large that the smaller shank or stem passing therethrough provides the desired trapping and collecting chamber.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective showing the curvate component of a trumpet slide or tubing and showing, what is more significant, the soft welded right angularly positioned needletype water valve.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detail view with parts in section and elevation taken approximately on the plane of the vertical line 2-2 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the indicating arrows.

FIG. 3 is a section at right angles taken on the plane of the section line 3-3 ofFIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a top plane view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the valve mounted on the curvate end or slide of a trombone where it is in a plane with the plane of the axis of the tubing and is sometimes referred to as parallel.

By way of introduction to the details appearing in the figures of the drawing, it is to be pointed out that the conventional water key usually comprises a pair of outstanding parallel ears or lugs between which the median portion of a springbiased lever is pivotally mounted. The lever is provided at one end with a fingerpiece and at the other end with a cork, pad or the like which closes the discharge port. This valve is not herein shown but is generally well known to persons conversant with the art to which the invention relates.

It is further to be mentioned that the herein disclosed water valve is such that it can be mounted on various types of brass wind musical instruments as already touched upon and that it lends itself to practical use on a trumpet, that is the tubing thereof, as denoted at 6 in FIG. 1. Here the valve is at right angles to the axis of the tubing, that is the curvate crook or section 8. The same valve is susceptible of use on the curvate portion 10 of the slide or tubing of a trombone as at 12 in FIG. 4. Whether the valve occupies the position illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 or FIG. 4 the construction is the same.

To the ends desired the relatively small cylindrical barrel or sleeve which constitutes the valve body is denoted by the numeral 14. It is of requisite length and cross-section and the respective end portions are preferably beveled as at 16 and 18 respectively. The open-ended axial bore or passage is internally screw-threaded at one end as brought out in FIG. 2. The other end is provided with a reduced discharge port 20 and inwardly of the port it is provided with a conical communicating valve seat 22. This bore or passage is of a diameter that the major portion thereof as brought out in FIG. 2 constitutes a water or saliva trapping and accumulating chamber which is denoted at 24. The centralized exteriorly disposed recess or concavity 26 is such in locale and size that it conformingly fits against and is soft-soldered as at 28 to the tubing 8 in a manner that the inlet port 30 registers with the discharge orifice 32.

The valve element which can also be made from brass but which can likewise be made from a suitable grade of nylon or equivalent plastic material is denoted, construed as an entity, by the numeral 34. This valve embodies a shank having an enlarged screw-threaded portion 36 which is screwed into the threads provided in the cooperating end of the bore in the manner shown in FIG. 2. The outwardly extending portion 38 is provided with a suitably sized and arranged head or fingergrip 40 which can if desired be knurled or milled as at 42. The major portion of the shank constitutes a stem as at 44 in FIG. 2 and extends through the chamber and terminates in a conical needle-like tip 46 which seats against the valve seat 22. It will be noted that the chamber is of a cross-sectional dimension greater than the cross-sectional dimension of the stem to provide the chamber. As stated the invention eliminates the usual cork, spring, screw, saddle and nipple used on conventional water keys employed on most brass musical instruments.

The component parts 14 and 34 can be produced on an automatic screw machine. The plastic construction can be molded in any convenient or practical manner.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those'skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be restored to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A water valve for brass wind instruments which embody tubing having an exit port for a customarily used water key, said valve including a body, more particularly, a small but elongated cylindrical sleeve, the bore of said sleeve being open at its respective ends, one open end of said bore providing a discharge port, said discharge port being provided with a self-contained conical .valve seat, and a manually turnable and reciprocable valve embodying a stem-like shank having one end portion operatively mounted in an adjacent cooperating end of said bore and provided with an accessible head providing a fingergrip and its other end provided with a conical needle-pointed tip normally abutting said valve seat and closing said discharge port, the intermediate portion of said bore constituting a water (saliva) trapping and accumulating chamber, and an intermediate portion of said sleeve having an inlet orifice registering with said chamber.

2. The water valve defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein said chamber is of a cross-sectional dimension greater than the cross-sectional dimension of said shank, said shank extending axially and longitudinally through the chamber in a manner that said chamber provides the aforementioned water trapping and accumulating chamber.

3. The water valve defined in and according to claim 2, and wherein said one end portion of said shank is screw-threaded and is operatively screwed into said cooperating end of said bore.

4. The water valve defined in and according to claim 2, and wherein said one end portion of said shank is screw-threaded and is operatively screwed into said cooperating end of said bore, and that portion of said sleeve immediately encompassing said inlet orifice being provided with a concavity providing an adapter seat for that part of the instrument tubing which is intended to seat and fixedly anchor itself therein.

5. A two part water valve for wind instruments which embody tubing having a customary liquid release port for discharging liquid from the instrument, comprising,

a single body member including an inlet port, said single body member connected to said tubing adjacent the release port with said inlet port aligned with said liquid release port, said body member including an exit port, a liquid channel connecting said exit port and said inlet port, a stem channel connected with said liquid channel,

a single moveable stem member moveable in said stem channel for opening and closing the liquid channel between said inlet port and said exit port, said stem projecting out of said body member with an accessible head providing means to manipulate the stem, said stem and said body member including cam surfaces to place said stem in a positive closed position to stop the flow of fluid out said exit port.

6. A two part water valve for wind instruments which embody tubing having a customary liquid release port for discharging liquid from the instrument as set forth in claim 5, wherein,

said cam surfaces include a conical seat portion around said exit port, and

said stem includes a conical tip that mates with said seat portion for positive closing of said exit port.

7. A two part water valve for wind instruments which embody tubing having a customary liquid release port for discharging liquid from the instrument as set forth in claim 6, wherein,

said stem has said manipulating means at one endand said conical tip at the other end, said stem is reciprocally moveable into and out of engagement with said conical seat, said stem tip rotates in said seat.

8. A two part water valve for wind instruments which embody tubing having a customary liquid release port for discharging liquid from the instrument as set forth in claim 7, wherein,

said cam surface is at an angle to the longitudinal center line of movement of said stem to provide a rotational contact under pressure between said tip and said seat for self cleaning. 

1. A water valve for brass wind instruments which embody tubing having an exit port for a customarily used water key, said valve including a body, more particularly, a small but elongated cylindrical sleeve, the bore of said sleeve being open at its respective ends, one open end of said bore providing a discharge port, said discharge port being provided with a self-contained conical valve seat, and a manually turnable and reciprocable valve embodying a stem-like shank having one end portion operatively mounted in an adjacent cooperating end of said bore and provided with an accessible head providing a fingergrip and its other end provided with a conical needle-pointed tip normally abutting said valve seat and closing said discharge port, the intermediate portion of said bore constituting a water (saliva) trapping and accumulating chamber, and an intermediate portion of said sleeve having an inlet orifice registering with said chamber.
 2. The water valve defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein said chamber is of a cross-sectional dimension greater than the cross-sectional dimension of said shank, said shank extending axially and longitudinally through the chamber in a manner that said chamber provides the aforementioned water trapping and accumulating chamber.
 3. The water valve defined in and according to claim 2, and wherein said one end portion of said shank is screw-threaded and is operatively screwed into said cooperating end of said bore.
 4. The water valve defined in and according to claim 2, and wherein said one end portion of said shank is screw-threaded and is operatively screwed into said cooperating end of said bore, and that portion of said sleeve immediately encompassing said inlet orifice being provided with a concavity providing an adapter seat for that part of the instrument tubing which is intended to seat and fixedly anchor itself therein.
 5. A two part water valve for wind instruments which embody tubing having a customary liquid release port for discharging liquid from the instrument, comprising, a single body member including an inlet port, said single body member connected to said tubing adjacent the release port with said inlet port aligned with said liquid release port, said body member including an exit port, a liquid channel connecting said exit port and said inlet port, a stem channel connected with said liquid channel, a single moveable stem member moveable in said stem channel for opening and closing the liquid channel between said inlet port and said exit port, said stem projecting out of said body member with an accessible head providing means to manipulate the stem, said stem and said body member including cam surfaces to place said stem in a positive closed position to stop the flow of fluid out said exit port.
 6. A two part water valve for wind instruments which embody tubing having a customary liquid release port for discharging liquid from the instrument as set forth in claim 5, wherein, said cam surfaces include a conical seat portion around said exit port, and said stem includes a conical tip that mates with said seat portion for positive closing of said exit port.
 7. A two part water valve for wind instruments which embody tubing having a customary liquid release port for discharging liquid from the instrument as set forth in claim 6, wherein, said stem has said manipulating means at one end and said conical tip at the other end, said stem is reciprocally moveable into and out of engagement with said conical seat, said stem tiP rotates in said seat.
 8. A two part water valve for wind instruments which embody tubing having a customary liquid release port for discharging liquid from the instrument as set forth in claim 7, wherein, said cam surface is at an angle to the longitudinal center line of movement of said stem to provide a rotational contact under pressure between said tip and said seat for self cleaning. 